What Are Sisters For
by chapeloflove
Summary: A.U: Rachel's and Quinn's relationship seen through Frannie's eyes.


_What Sisters Are For_

Summary: A.U: Rachel's and Quinn's relationship seen through Frannie's eyes.

* * *

The Fabray's have always been a class of itself. Growing up as a young child Frannie already began to understand the intermingling's of her parents, and how much her future was already paved for her. She was four when Lucy was born. Even then she could see the under layer of her father's disappointment that he had yet again been given a small, fragile, (brunette) girl.

Not that he would ever say it out loud.

Frannie had been appointed, without even a ceremony as the older protector. She can't remember now if it was the first time she heard Lucy's terrified scream after being picked up from her mother's arms by a nurse, or the first tear that fell from her eyes that the switch was clicked in Frannie's mind.

Even at the age of four she knew she would do anything to keep her from harm. She was defenseless. She looked so pale those first few months. So much so, that her mother had to lay Lucy out by the window to give her youngest enough sun pigment in her skin. Frannie was always by her sister, the moment she got home from her pre-school she would be beside Lucy's crib looking in with a slight glint of happiness.

Frannie was there for Lucy as she began to grow. She played with her, the way her parents could not. She even began to read to her in excitement, the books she brought home from kindergarten and first grade as practise. Reading them aloud in Lucy's room, as the nightlight with stars spun around the dark room in magical awh.

Frannie ran beside Lucy as she began to rise in height, taking her to the swings and pushing her. Dumping into the pool in the hot months, watching with a careful eye as Lucy treaded like a young pup. She pushed her from behind on her first bike and later picked her up from her first spill onto the unforgiving pavement. Lucy didn't touch the bike again for months, throwing a tantrum every time Frannie would urge her outside. That was until their father one night at supper demanded Lucy to go learn to ride.

Lucy whined again, beginning the tantrum that would always successfully annoy Frannie. But this time instead of getting her way, Russel threw his napkin picking Lucy up and taking her out, forcing her onto her small pink bike. He pushed her down the street multiple times, picking her up every time she fell. It wasn't until two hours later did they finally move back inside. Lucy jumped to Frannie with an excited grin, able to now ride her bike.

Frannie watched as Lucy began to close off, retreating to her bedroom every afternoon after school. She watched but did not fix it, dealing with her seemingly more difficult problems in seventh grade. She even watched as Lucy began to grow heavier, confiding in the food as a way to escape the harsh torment outside.

She attempted to help, trying to take her on bike rides and to go swimming, as they used to love so much. But unfortunately, both did not help. She still was beside her at home, lashing out at her father when he tried to poke at his youngest daughter, looking down at her in disappointment. She would sass her mother when she commented that Lucy not be able to eat that last piece or pizza, striking her mother with her words.

If she could not fix her, she could_ protect_ her.

By the time Lucy had entered Belleville middle school, Fannie was already in her sophomore year. She was what her parents had hoped for, and sculpted her for. She was one of the leading cheerleaders, and a top A student.

It was also then she met Cyrus, a tall boy in her history class. He had dark skin and stood out like a sore thumb in the halls of Bell high. He was called Indian slurs and was pushed in the hallways, 'terrorist' painted across his locker.

Frannie watched silently form a distance, consumed by her preppy friends as he rushed around the hallways trying to disappear. Frannie approached him one day after class picking up a few scattered papers on the floor which had his name scribbled on top of. "Here," she muttered.

When he looked up to see her, he seized up. Frannie looked in between his deep brown eyes curiously, holding her hand out. "I'm sorry about them," she nodded to the retreating form of the basketball players.

He shrugged, taking his papers straightening his back, "their pricks, I wish they would at least get my nationality right, I'm not even from India." He said a thick British accent spilling out.

"They think a catfish is a species of cat that swims, they aren't very observant."

"But you are?" he asked,

"I'm able to see things other let slip past... kind of like Nancy Drew" She tilted her chin up, smiling.

"Well I am Cyrus, Miss Nancy Drew."

Cyrus and Frannie soon became close, to both her parents displeasure. It didn't matter that Cyrus was from England or that his mother was white. The fact was that his grandparents had come from the Middle East, they were different.

Towards the summer Frannie had begun to date him behind her parents back. Their first kiss during a local college football game in the stands as the crowd cheered around them from a touch down. Frannie was pushed off a cliff then, knowing not when she would ever be able to retain stable footing.

Cyrus had grown four inches during the summer now towering over some of the jocks that had before looked down on him. Frannie was happy to hold his hand walking down the hallways.

After, Cyrus was never picked on again.

It was the distraction of Cyrus that she missed the developing darkness in her younger sister. During the summer and junior year Frannie noticed her sister becoming even more restricted into her room, pulling away from anything outside of it. And yet she did nothing to help her.

One afternoon, Frannie drove to Lucy's middle school picking her up from the rain. She pulled up along the school, awaiting her sister's arrival.

Lucy ran from the safety of an overhead into the car, smashing the car door close. She shuttered tears streaming from her eyes. Frannie stopped, looking to her as she sobbed openly. The blonde reached forward placing a gentle hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Lucy,"

"-Don't call me that!" she hissed, slapping her hand away, "j-just take me home!"

"What's wrong?"

"Why do you care, just take me home," Lucy snapped, unlike her.

Frannie was used to the silent, shy Lucy not one that had mascara smearing her glasses, her tone cutting.

"Just tell me what's going on," she urged softly.

"Fuck off Frannie!"

Frannie breath stopped, starring at her sister like an alien. She had never heard Lucy curse, and never to her. Without a second question Frannie placed her car in drive, speeding down to their house, watching as Lucy jumped from the car the moment it stopped locking herself in her room.

She didn't come to dinner.

Frannie called Cyrus later that night, sobbing into the telephone. She felt her chest tighten, failure swimming inside. After that afternoon Lucy had changed, she ate less than a cup of food at every serving, going out early in the morning and late at nights to run.

Half way through junior year at dinner she demanded her family stop calling her Lucy.

"Then what will we call you?" their mother asked over her wine glass.

The youngest Fabray looked up determined, something Russel began to admire. "Quinn."

And so Lucy became Quinn.

The next change came one night Cyrus was over, both of them with books across the table. Quinn walked down from her bedroom, her hair pulled up in a tight pony tail, wearing her sweater and running shorts. But that was not the change Frannie saw, she had come accustomed to Quinn's workout clothes. It was practically all the girl wore. No it was the bleached blonde hair now combed back on Quinn that made her drop her pencil.

"Lu- Quinn what did you do?"

"What does it look like Nancy Drew?" Quinn retorted, grabbing her IPod from the side table. Cyrus looked up from across the table, watching Frannie carefully.

"Why did you dye your hair?"

Quinn shrugged her shoulders, putting her ear buds in, "It's what a Fabray would do," she responded before running from the front door.

It scared Frannie how much Quinn was turning into her father.

Frannie and Quinn stayed far away from each other for a month, hardly speaking to each other even at the dinner table. It wasn't until a day in March did she approach Frannie with the same determined look that she had at the table wishing to be called Quinn.

"I want to be a cheerleader next year." She stated very point blank.

Frannie inspected her for a moment, pursing her lips, "why,"

Quinn scoffed, looking at her sister as if she was some idiot, "why do you think- I don't want to be a loser my whole life."

"-you're not a loser."

"I won't be if I make tryouts."

Frannie shook her head, "what do you want?"

"I need you to help me train, I have the athletic skill now, but I still need technique, and to shed another few pounds."

"You're healthy enough- you don't have to become a tooth pick."

"I don't want to have stretch marks like some pregnant sixteen year old anymore."

"And you think I'll help you?" Frannie asked, "You haven't spoken to me for months, and I am supposed to help you now?"

Quinn was silent for a while, assessing Frannie before finally she smirked, cocking an eyebrow, "what are sisters for?"

The last few months Frannie took Quinn to the gymnasium on her spare days, teaching her the basics, and then leading up to the intermediate styles. Quinn was golden. There was no way she wouldn't be making it. Frannie had seen the freshmen that walked into her squad and none were as determined or skilled as Quinn and now at a size three Quinn was smaller and lighter to throw.

Frannie hugged Quinn after a long drilling afternoon proclaiming she was ready for anything they would throw at her and more. Unfortunately Frannie hadn't realized she would have to ready for anything that would be thrown at her.

It was the best night of her life, and the worse.

After dating Cyrus for so long, she was ready. Taking the finally step Cyrus laid her down on his bed, taking care of her more gently then she ever thought was possible. She moaned his name out in ecstasy, clinging to him desperately as he murmured into her ear "I love you's". She fell into his arms after, letting him wrap his powerful arms around her, pulling her tightly against his naked front. She fell asleep shortly after in his arms, completely in peace.

She was stirred awake by Cyrus later on in the evening, whispering the time. Groaning Frannie began to gather her things, following Cyrus to his car. On the drive home, Frannie could do nothing else but look at him with a dopy smile, her head resting on his seat. He laughed trying to shoo her away, his eyes glancing back at her every few moments.

"I swear I will accidently crash this car if you keep looking at me like that," he chuckled in bliss.

"If you crashed could we be together for a while longer?"

"If we crashed, your father would make sure to make my life a living hell even more then he already dose." He smirked, throwing a charming wink.

Frannie ran a finger down his arm, "I don't want to leave you though."

Cyrus stopped the engine, she had not realised they had already made it in front of her house. She looked behind her shoulder to the single light shining from the dining room.

"Just a few more weeks and then we will have summer," he whispered, cupping the side of her face. "And then we only have senior year left,"

Frannie sighed leaning into his hand, "and then?"

"And then what?"

Frannie opened her bright green eyes, starring at her boyfriend lovingly, "what after senior year?"

"We have the rest of our lives." He whispered, pulling her closer for a long kiss.

After another ten minutes she had finally been able to pull herself out from the car and walk to the front step. She turned the door handle watching the car pull away before stepping inside.

Something was wrong.

She was hit with the instant feeling the moment she was inside, the light pouring form the dining room. She walked cautiously toward it, turning the corner to find her parents siting on either side of the table Quinn on opposite side to her chair. Her mother looked upset, her eyebrows knitted together, spotting Frannie. Quinn with looked up with a determined icy look.

"What's going on?" she asked silently, stepping up behind her chair, griping the polished wood.

"Honey, you should sit down." Her mother cooed. Quinn eyes turned almost remorseful, Frannie sat down her seat scratching against the floor. "Your father has some news."

Frannie looked to the top of the table, meeting Russel's cold stare. "What is it daddy?"

He took a sip from his scotch, looking back as his daughter, "I got a job offer, a better job offer with better benefits and higher pay. Money that will get you two in the best schools, it's a great promotion and a great opportunity for the Fabray's."

"That's great," Frannie smiled, genuinely happy. "You were bond to be recognized for your good work soon enough."

"Baby," Judy murmured, knowing her next words would cut her daughter in half, "the job is in Lima Ohio."

Frannie turned cold, the blush that had been highlighting her cheeks all night drained down to her toes. She shook her head silently, looking back at her father, "no."

"Like I said," Russel murmured, "It's a great opportunity."

Tears began to surface in Frannie's eyes, not knowing where to look, "you can't- we can't move!"

"There isn't a reason why we shouldn't."

"Cyrus!"

He grumbled under his breath, looking at his crushed child, "You're young Frannie. You have no idea what you want right now, you'll meet someone new."

Frannie jumped from her seat running out from the room. "Frannie!" her mother called.

She pulled on her shoes, her vision completely blurred by her tears, running form the front door. She looked down the street for any sight of Cyrus. She turned back on her heel falling into her car and squealing out, driving back to his house.

The moment she showed, she fell into his arms crying out the words. It wasn't until the fifth time did he understand. He tried to reassure her that they would be okay, she wasn't moving to a different country they were still in the same state. But they both knew they were in trouble. Even through his words, his voice cracked slow tears running down his face that he refused Frannie to see.

Holding her close to his chest, he stroked her hair softly, humming a silent song until she finally fell asleep.

It was the first time she spent the night with him. And it was her last.

They moved in July packing up all her belongings and heading into the car and moving van. The goodbye with Cyrus was one she would never want to go through again, her heart crushed in her chest. In the car Quinn looked almost excited about the new life that awaited her.

Frannie looked down at her with loathing jealously, Frannie was losing everything. She was losing her friends, her graduating class, everything she had built in her old life.

She was losing Cyrus.

Here Quinn was nose pressed against the window as the sign of "Lima" came into view. She could be whoever she wanted to be now. She no longer had to be burdened by her old image.

And maybe because of that Frannie was able to make it through those first few weeks before her new school started. Knowing that her sister would finally be able to find peace, and with the cosmic surgery Quinn had gone under at the end of her school year Frannie no longer could see anything that resembled her old image. Her nose now perfectly defined along her face.

They were settled by the middle of August and Quinn had already become established in Lima. She had been placed on the intense competitive cheer squad the Cheerio's and was out almost every afternoon at either cheer practise or meeting new people.

Frannie watched as new girls entered their home, attached to Quinn by the hip. She watched in silent wonderment as Quinn commanded every room now, well aware at every moment she took and where she was positioning herself. Frannie observed Quinn apparently an in-born leader, something no one had realised before, not even Quinn.

School began and Frannie decided to stay away from cheering, realising that this new school was very different then her last. She watched silently in the hallways as her younger sister strutted down halls in the red uniforms acquainted by two other girls on either side of her hips, forming a deathly triangle.

She made shy friendships, nothing more than classroom friends though. The roles had been rudely reversed, Frannie shrinking into the shadows and Quinn stepping up to the platform. No one knew about Lucy, not even the fiery Latina or dim blonde, Quinn made sure her past stayed there, never looking back.

Frannie though, longed for nothing more than the past. The conversations with Cyrus slowly began to turn awkward and they slowly slipped away from each other. Until one afternoon where Frannie finally severed the cord, believing to be setting him free.

As Frannie deepened within herself, Quinn continued on seeming invincible. Well that was until she was encountered with a small brunette.

The first time Frannie saw them together was during her spare, she was walking down a pair of stairs toward the school's library when she saw her sister with her hands on either side of her hips, two steps above the brunette, towering above her.

"Stay out of my way Rupaul,"

"I'm not trying to be rude, just asking."

"I don't want to join your stupid club," she hissed.

"You have a lovely singing voice Quinn," she praised, "we need someone like you, you would be perfect."

Quinn's breath auditable hitched. Frannie watched from the nook she had ducked into as her sister pushed past the brunette. "Don't talk to me again, or I will have you slushied." She threatened. The small girl rubbed her hands on her skirt, taking a deep breath and finally retreating away from the scene.

Throughout the months she had caught more exchanges like this, every time ending in a bottomless threat from Quinn. It wasn't until the middle of January did she witness Santana bring a red cup up to Rachel's face dumping the cold purple liquid all over her. An eruption of laughter filled the space, Quinn standing a yard away with a solemn expression.

Frannie stood by every day watching the bullying from Quinn increase, reflecting her own torment she had endured only a few months ago. Yet Frannie stayed quite, knowing she would only be met with the same resistant that she was once met when she asked her to try to ride her bike again.

Luckily through this all Quinn had moved back to Frannie sitting on her bed after dinner talking to her about different boys, and Cheerios. But more than either of those subjects she would talk about Rachel. She would talk about how she was out to get her. She wanted to sabotage her accomplishments in Lima, she was jealous.

Frannie listened, even if it all was rather immature.

Santana and Brittany were also a new addition. They frequented the house more than Russel. Frannie took the girls out to stores and the mall when they were still too young to drive, acting as a taxi driver for fourteen and fifteen year olds.

Frannie wasn't sure when she noticed, but she slowly began to understand the relation of Santana and Brittany. From the beginning she knew they were different, the way they looked at each other, touched each other. It pegged her. But it wasn't until the day before spring break, did she finally connect the dots. It was then when Quinn and Brittany both began to date football jocks.

Frannie gathered books from her locker, witnessing as Brittany walked away from Santana hand held with a tall Asian boy. Santana watched her until she turned the corner stuffing her face into her protective locker. Frannie waited until she had remerged with binders in hand, her eyes red with tears spiralling down.

She grimaced, shutting her door and walking to her new sister, wrapping an arm around her. She ushered her away to her car, where she drove her home without a question.

Nearing Frannie's graduation she met Daniel a handsome boy in his first year of business school. She didn't fall instantly, but she slowly slipped. As she walked across the stage she spotted him in the crowd his shallow kind blue eyes urging her on.

Quinn hugged her the tightest that afternoon, her family throwing a backyard party after the graduation. Quinn's boyfriend in attendance, Frannie had no problem with him. He was handsome enough, and kind. But she couldn't shake the feeling that every time his name was brought up Quinn's eyes deflated a bit.

During her summer she began to work at a small retail store in town. Last year she had hoped to meet up with Cyrus again. But they had moved on. She was with Daniel and Cyrus had moved to London for six months to live with his uncle. She was happy. Daniel was in line to inherit an auto dealer ship from his father, and it was easy to imagine her life with him.

Quinn was a shoe in to becoming the captain Cheerios, one of the first captains to achieve it at such a young age. The whole family was very proud. Frannie was still living at home as Quinn entered her sophomore year.

She watched the steady pattern of Quinn hashing out about Rachel to her. Commenting on her two gay dads as if she hadn't realised her two best friends were very much the same. Quinn was just or more observant then Frannie, nothing slipped by her.

Frannie had about enough by the end of September, snapping at Quinn. "Join the club Quinn!"

Quinn opened her mouth, cocking her head, "excuse me?"

Frannie folded her t-shirts stuffing them into her drawer, "honestly you don't shut up about her- the club just join it already you obviously want to."

"You don't know what I want," Quinn snapped

"Oh get over yourself, and start acting like an adult."

"Like you're one to talk!" Quinn pointed "you are settling just like mom, and you don't even seem upset about it."

"That has nothing to do with anything," Frannie crossed her arms, "for once do something that will actually make you happy and join the flipping club. It will sure get rid of the headache I get every time you start on the subject."

Quinn stormed from the room without looking back. Frannie thought that would be the end of it, her headache had been cured.

Honestly she was naïve.

Now that Quinn had joined the club along with her two friends, she talked endlessly about Rachel.

"She was out to get Finn!"

"She thinks just because she has a good voice she can boss the rest of us around?"

"She is practically forcing her music down our throats!"

"She is just annoying, you would know if you were there."

"She wears argyle every day!"

Frannie was patient, which was saying something. She let Quinn ramble on in her room, escaping from the shouts and crashes from downstairs erupted from their parents. Both lingered in Frannie's room until past midnight when the house was finally silent. Some nights Quinn curled in with her sister in her bed, Frannie protecting her from the violent ugly noises.

Throughout Quinn's sophomore year, Frannie kept a steady eye on her. Something in her younger sister shifting. She began to be bubbly and less icy. She began to sing around the house (when Russel was at work) and dance around Frannie's room. She was delighted her sister was fitting into her skin, doing handstands in the middle of the living room.

And Frannie was happy for her, Frannie was happy.

Frannie slept with Daniel the day after she found out about Cyrus's engagement. She blinked dumbly as her old best friend told her over the phone. Hanging up politely and finding Daniel taking him to bed in his own excitement.

After that she knew she was ready for this life. She threw away half written university application forms, knowing Daniel would be able to take care of her. She wasn't settling, She was happy with this. She would be following her mother's footsteps, and who doesn't want to be their mother?

Her father moved out after Christmas, leaving the three Fabray women alone. Frannie never understood if she was happy about it or not. She had never believed her father was a golden dad, but she never hated him. He was family, he was her father.

Quinn was dented by the instalment, at the time getting into a fight with Santana as well. She stomped around the house angrily, slamming the phone down after angrily talking to the fiery young girl. Frannie caught one of the conversations while she toasted a piece of bread before she headed to bed. Quinn walked in with her water bottle in one hand, her phone pinched between her shoulder and ear.

"You are such a bitch! You are only doing this for attention." Quinn hissed, taking the water filter from the fridge and pouring the water into her container. Her coach had all the girls on a diet where it was required they drink half their body mass in water daily. Quinn spent half her day peeing.

"You don't even like him!" She continued, "He is my boyfriend."

Frannie lifted an eye brow, leaning on the counter. Quinn took a long sip of water glaring at a blank spot on the wall. "Well it is a problem when you are flinging yourself all over him like some kind of slut." Quinn capped her water bottle, pausing by the counter. "Don't take this out on me and Finn, you're just angry because Brittany left."

Quinn went silent, Frannie listening to the slight buzz of Santana's voice on the receiver. Quinn became tenser and tenser by the moment, turning rigid by the end of Santana's long rant. "you have no idea what you are talking about!" she shouted her shoulders lounging forward, "I don't-" Quinn's amber eyes snapped over to Frannie, as if she had just noticed her stature there. "She won't take him from me. I'm just protecting him from her man grabbing paws."

Again with every word that Santana said Quinn seemed to tense. Something snapped and Quinn hung up the phone in rushed panic, dropping it to the counter as if it were a hot pan. There was a second passed before Frannie's toast popped up casing Quinn to jump a foot.

Frannie buttered her toast, leaning on the counter. Quinn bit her nails, her eyes staring blankly ahead, her mind somewhere else. "What was that about?" she asked her, taking a bite out of her toast.

Quinn looked up, shaking her head, "nothing."

Frannie snorted, "It sounded like something," she waved her toast toward her fidgeting hands, "-looks like something."

Quinn glared, entering her defense mode, something Frannie could spot from a mile away. "Well you obviously are deaf and blind!" she huffed, storming away.

Frannie chuckled rolling her eyes shrugging, she tried. She knew Quinn could be stubborn; she got that from their father. Quinn would come to Frannie if she needed help, but till then Frannie ate the rest of her toast, retreating upstairs.

During valentines Quinn got into a huge fight with Finn which ended in disastrous results. Frannie can't remember if it was about the chocolate he got, or did not get. Maybe it was because he was flirting with another girl. Either way Quinn lay in Frannie's arms now sobbing into her loose grey T-shirt.

She whined about Santana being a bitch, and Finn being dumbass. But what Frannie had not expected was a silent praise of Rachel.

"…She was there when I got to the choir room, like she knew," Quinn sniffled. "At first I thought she was going to laugh in my face, steel him from me. But she just started apologising, for things that weren't even her fault."

Frannie pushed Quinn off her shoulder, stroking her light blonde hair from her eyes. She whipped away her tears, trying to clear some of her smudged make-up. "What do you mean?"

"S-she had been practising some stupid song," Quinn muttered, "Santana must have been gloating about getting Finn to kiss her, and Rachel already knew. She told me she was sorry it happened to me- that it shouldn't have happened to me." Quinn looked up through teary eyes. "Can you believe that through everything? After all the things I have done to her, she is the one that is backing me up, that is giving me comfort that no one else was."

Frannie smiled lightly, "she's nice."

"Too nice- no one should forgive someone like me after I made sure to make them hate coming to school." Quinn whined, looking like an injured child and not the captain of cheer national hopefuls. Quinn sighed falling back onto her sister's shoulder. Sniffling the last few tears.

Holding her close to her she stroked her hair softly, humming a silent song until she finally fell asleep.

After that night, everything changed.

After a well-placed glee assignment, Quinn and Rachel were paired together, having to work together, during and after school. It was the first time Frannie had seen the girl since her graduation. She had grown, not much in height, but she looked older. Her face had lost some of its baby fat, her hair now down past her shoulders, curlier then she remembered.

Rachel greeted her like an old admirer, asking how she had been since graduation. Frannie watching in amusement as Quinn grumbled in embarrassment, offering Rachel a drink.

After another five minutes around the kitchen Rachel clapped her hands together, "well we should get to it, where is your bedroom?"

Quinn ducked her head a blush rushing to her face. It was one of the few times she had actually seen her sister blush. Usually too proud to show emotion around people she didn't absolute trust. "uhm it's this way." Frannie was silent when her sister left, looking at the stove in silent speculation.

No, no that couldn't be right.

After that, it seemed there was a new addition to the household. Rachel now spent more time over, even having dinner once or twice. After Santana and Quinn made up eventually, space was getting crowded.

Frannie could never understand how she saw those four girls siting in the same room civilized. After few attempts at jabbed insults by Santana Quinn came forward, placing a protective shield over Rachel. It was that way all the way to summer. Every Friday they would all gather in the living room, watching a new movie, or heading out to some party.

Frannie began to broaden her older protector duties to not just Quinn and Santana, but now Brittany and finally Rachel. How could one girl have so many different people to look after?

Brittany and Santana curled on the sofa together, seeming to be two ends of a magnet, always attracting the other when one was close. In fact the only people who seemed to think they were keeping their attraction hidden was Santana. It was obvious to the rest of the girls in the room what was going on. But Santana wasn't ready for that type of public eye, and so they all kept it to themselves.

That was until one day in late July.

Frannie stepped from Daniel's car receiving a lingering kiss. She suspected the girls would be home, as they were most days in the summer. They had come to have a liking to the pool side or cooling off inside with the A/C. So when Frannie walked in to a silent home she had assumed the girls were outside. She walked upstairs, taking a necklace she had borrowed from Quinn's jewelry box off.

She reached her closed door, intending to replace it before she got an earful about how she can't touch Quinn's things. The necklace slipped from her hand when she opened the door.

Without a word of caution she was with an eye full of two girls she had known since they were thirteen spread across her younger sister's bed. Santana was ducked between two long pale legs. Brittany's back arched from the bed, as she panted out unrecognisable words. Her fingers twisted in the dark curly hair, pressing Santana tighter onto her. Brittany's mouth was gaped as she struggled for breath over throaty moans. Santana's head bobbed back up and down, Brittany's hips urging upward toward Santana's contact.

At the sound of the door though, Santana eyes were twisting back around, catching eyes with Frannie. Unfortunately she didn't miss the glint of moister on and around Santana's swollen lips as she slammed the door close. She tried to forget the image placing her fingers to her temples as she walked down to her room.

It was ten minutes later until Santana had reached her room. Frannie had trouble even looking at her. She wasn't upset she was gay, she had known the girl was gay the first time she saw her over protectiveness over Brittany. She never needed to see what she had though. Santana walked into the room like a shy kindergarten, "please, you can't tell anyone."

"I won't San,"

"Thank you," she breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm just not ready for… whatever that means."

"Of course," Frannie mumbled. Santana turned around ready to head out, when Frannie stopped her. "Santana if you ever need to talk to someone, I am always here."

Santana turned around, her face drained from any pressure that she held before, "thank you," she whispered. "You really are the sister I never got to have Frannie."

She smiled nodding to Santana, "I love you too."

No matter how bonding the moment may have been, Frannie was still scarred for life. Even later in her thirties every time she stumbled upon Santana a flash of the image would strike her memory like a haunting curse.

And because of that she was moved out in less than two weeks and in with Daniel.

Quinn stood behind her sister, as she packed the last box in her room. She stood in the threshold, a plate gripped in her left hand.

"Hey," Frannie acknowledge pausing form her work.

Quinn bit her lip, holding the plate out, "this is from Rachel, she said moving is hard work." Quinn mumbled, showing off the plate of cookies. "She also said she would miss you,"

"That's sweet," Frannie smiled, walking over and picking on cookie up gingerly.

"Their vegan,"

The older girl nodded taking a bite out, "you guys are acting like I am moving to mars, it's only across town, you'll still see my loads."

Quinn sat the plate down on the dresser shrugging, "I just wish you didn't have to leave."

"It was bound to happen sometime, Daniel and I are getting serious."

"Right," Quinn dragged on, "Daniel."

Frannie expected Quinn to drag this subject on as she usually did but instead she twisted her nose up sighing. "It will just be different, without you here."

"Different is good," Frannie smiled.

Something passed behind Quinn's hazel eyes, ducking her head down her blonde hair sweeping in front of her eyes. Frannie chucked tucking her hair behind her sister's ear. "You need to get your hair cut, it's getting so long."

"Maybe,"

Frannie smiled popping the last piece of cookie into her mouth. "Tell Rachel her cookies were amazing, and that I'll miss her too."

Even though Frannie wasn't there in the nights to talk to Quinn, she found out that a regular phone call was usually the norm. She still visited the house on weekends and sometimes when Daniel worked late. Quinn still had their mother, but every time Frannie walked through the door she never could stop the beaming smile that lightened her face.

Now that Rachel and Quinn were on the basis of friends, Frannie had less of a head ache of listening to her rants. And with Quinn in fully swing in her junior year she was grateful for that.

One day in November, just before thanksgiving weekend Frannie was over. She had agreed with Daniel they would have thanksgiving dinner with his parents, leaving Quinn and her mother alone. Guilt sloshed back and forth in her gut, but she had to go, she had hardly been introduced to his parents. And now that their relationship had passed the yearlong mark greetings were in order.

She lent on the kitchen counter awaiting Quinn's arrival. She didn't have to wait long before the blonde and brunette were striding inside.

"Fran!" Quinn squealed, not seeing her sister for almost two weeks.

She smiled hugging her sister quickly, smiling at Rachel, "hey there Rach,"

"Hello,"

"What are you two up to?" She asked

"We were just going to hang out," Quinn grinned, looking back at Rachel. "I'm glad you're here I'm going to miss you, I missed you."

"I did too, and will." She muttered "you know how it is though."

"Meeting the parent's" Quinn nodded, "It's very important in Fabray culture."

"It's important in all cultures, you weirdo."

"We have to do something before you leave!" Quinn jumped.

Frannie's eyes shot over to Rachel, who stood back rather awkward, not knowing where she could be placed in this situation. The brunette caught Frannie's glance and sheepishly looked to Quinn. "I actually just realised I have to go…" she said, obviously timidly.

Quinn looked back, her face reflecting disappointment, "what?"

"I just remembered I…" she let it trail on, spinning around and heading to the door. Frannie ducked back into the kitchen, Quinn catching up with her friend.

The older sibling picked an apple up, biting a chunk out of it. She spied by the corner at Quinn and Rachel in the threshold of the open front door.

"Why are you leaving?" Quinn asked quietly, intending for Frannie not to hear.

"You should spend time with your sister,"

"You don't have to leave though."

"It would be easier, quality time with her if I wasn't there. I would be like the awkward third wheel." Rachel whined.

"You wouldn't,"

"-yes I would."

Quinn was silent for a moment, her back tensing up. Frannie slowed her chewing, whipping her chin of the extra juices. Her sister reached out, taking one of Rachel's hands into her own, she ran her thumb along her knuckles. Rachel's eyes fell stuck onto the interlocked hand, her breath catching in her throat.

"I want you to stay," Quinn spoke with determination and power.

Rachel glanced up, her eyes searching Quinn's face. From her vantage point Frannie was able to see every emotion that crossed Rachel's face. Each expression and feeling, her lips were pressed tightly together, as she lingered onto Quinn's words. Frannie's palms began to calm as a slow creeping realisation began to acknowledge itself within her mind.

"I'll stay,"

Quinn let out a deep sigh of relief. As if Rachel leaving would be the end of the world, and she had now fixed it. "Thank you," she breathed so gently so carefully lovingly that it made the half eaten apple within Frannie's hand slip from her grasp bouncing on the floor.

_God she had to get a better grip on things…_

For the rest of the day Frannie watched Rachel and Quinn how they both seemed to always know where the other was. She watched in curiosity at the gentle innocent touches, and playful demeanors. They were best friends.

Except she was starting to realise, maybe even before Quinn had, they were much more than that.

Quinn had Thanksgiving with the Berry's that year.

After a successfully trip with the Johnsons, Frannie was back in town. She had started at a new job, a secretary at a law firm. She was helping pay her bills with Daniel as he was away more and more often learning the ropes from his father.

Quinn was seemingly weightless throughout the months December, January, and February. In fact, Frannie never knew another time where she saw her sister so giggling happy. She was sure it all had to do with a certain brunette.

The peace however did not last forever.

It happened in mid-March, Frannie was just closing a book in her living room when she heard the thunderous knock. Daniel groaned from their bedroom, letting out a snore before falling asleep again. Frannie rolled her eyes getting up and walking to the door.

The moment she cracked it open a flash of blonde hair blurred her vision crashing into her like a train off its tracks. She huffed, making sure it was Quinn in her arms and not some crazy person off the street. Quinn instantly fell into her shoulder her chest shuddering out painful sobs. Frannie, looked to the door kicking it with her toe until it clicked shut. She ushered her sister back over to the living room siting her down.

"Hey," Frannie whispered, "what going on, are you alright?"

She couldn't make out what Quinn was saying the first few times, but finally on the lucky third she got the coherent "Rachel is dating Finn."

Frannie could never understand if Quinn knew exactly how far her feelings ran. She wouldn't be surprised if her sister had blocked it entirely. But holding her now she was sure she had an inkling that sobbing over a friends new relationship was something best friends did not do.

"Oh Lucy,"

Quinn froze.

Frannie froze.

It was the first time either had said the name since almost four years ago. The name rolled off Frannie's tongue like a foreign language, the reaction it installed in both girls made the room silently shift quieter. It was only broken by the uneven snore from Daniel inside her bedroom.

Quinn gulped, broken from her spell, "no one has called me that for a long time." She whispered.

"I know I'm sorry, it slipped." Frannie shook her head. She resounded she had called her that because she in this moment, and in this darkness she reminded her of Lucy, of the girl Quinn used to be.

"It's okay," Quinn mumbled leaning back into Frannie.

"It'll be okay Luc,"

"I just don't understand."

Frannie grimaced, burrowing her nose in the top of Quinn's hair running her nails over her back soothingly, "I know some things just don't make sense."

"She knows how sensitive I am about Finn." Quinn groaned, "She saw how I reacted with Santana."

"It's horrible,"

"It's not supposed to be them together."

"I know," Frannie closed her eyes.

"Finn and I were supposed to end up together, that's how it was supposed to be."

The older Fabray opened her eyes, in confusion looking down to the lump that was Quinn in her side. Did she just say…

"_Finn_?"

"yes, Finn and I were supposed to be together, we were just getting close together again and we were going to be prom king and queen and then-" she hiccupped cutting herself off.

Frannie scrunched her face, looking off to the reflective TV screen in utter bamboozlement. Her fingers came to a halt at the top of Quinn's back trying to connect the new dots in her mystery. "So you're upset… because Rachel is with Finn… because you wanted Finn?"

Quinn paused, sniffling pushing back from Fannie looking up at her, "of course, why what did you think I was upset?"

Frannie grimaced, twisting her lips up at Quinn's puffy red eyes. Maybe Frannie knew better then to believe Quinn, she wasn't older by much, but she could clearly see when someone was in love. Maybe she should have confronted Quinn, excused her for feelings for Rachel. But looking down at her now, Frannie could do nothing but pull her back in, her chest tightening at the sight of her sister in such pain. Maybe it would have been easier to rip the band aid off then and tell Quinn that she was maybe upset because of entirely different reason. But being the older guardian prevented Frannie from whispering any of those things, instead she pulled her closer.

"I thought that, just wanted to make sure we were on the same page…"

Holding her close to her she stroked her hair softly, humming a silent song until she finally fell asleep.

Frannie was updated almost regularly of the deterioration of Rachel's and Quinn's friendship. It saddened Frannie to hear the news of the two speaking less and less. By the end of Quinn's junior year, neither girl was talking to each other.

In May Daniel purposed to her, and she said yes.

Quinn and Santana lead the Cheerio's to a second national championship win. With it came different school scouting Quinn with hungry eyes and deals. Quinn seemed to be slipping back into her bedroom, her mother had called her on numerous occasions pleading for help.

"She listens to you Frannie," she buzzed through the phone, "She looks at me as if I am some alien…the girls she is hanging out with lately, they are a bad influence."

"I'm busy mom, you know that."

"Can't you make it out for the weekend, like old times?"

Frannie sighed, placing her hand on the receiver looking across the table at Daniel, "I'll just be a minute babe." Daniel nodded, taking a long swig of his bear.

She stood up walking from the dining hall. "Mom," she sighed, "I have to be by Daniel for this, it's his big conference and,"

"- I know, I know…" Judy mumbled, "If you could see her though Frannie, she's acting like she used to…"

The young woman bit her lip looking down the hallway at a well-dressed woman, laughing with her date, "I'll see what I can do okay?"

Frannie was back in Lima in less than a week.

Her mother wasn't joking, Quinn was quieter. She was jumping the first few hours Frannie was back, but after she had started retreating back into herself. It was all very similar to when she was in her preteens.

That night she sat in Quinn's bedroom, finding it a complete change from when she left. Her walls were painted a dark blue, ripped old posters of nostalgic bands hung on either side of her bed. And a dark quilt was now taking space over her mattress.

"What's going on Quinn?" She asked point blank.

Quinn slumped down in her desk chair spinning around, "nothing is wrong. Why does everyone think the moment you start acting different it's bad?"

"Because this isn't you,"

"How do you know that?" Quinn snapped, "People change, especially young people. You and mom need to get over yourselves and stop trying to fix something that isn't broken." Quinn let out a deep sigh, "I'm just different."

Frannie walked over to Quinn looking down inquisitively "Different is good," Frannie smiled.

Something passed behind Quinn's hazel eyes, ducking her head down her blonde hair sweeping in front of her eyes. Frannie chucked tucking her hair behind her sister's ear. "You need to get your hair cut, it's getting so long."

Quinn's eyes snapped back up, a silent delight behind them, "yes."

The next day Quinn was supporting a new short haircut that fell to her chin. Their mother was nothing close to as happy as the two girls as they bounced from the hair dressers. Quinn checking herself out in every window, and mirror she could find, running her fingers through it multiple times in an hour.

Frannie left, happy to see her sister with a spark of life again. Even if that spark was over something as simple as a haircut. Frannie was back with Daniel and touring the country the rest of the summer. By the time she had come home to Lima Quinn had changed once again.

This time her head flamed a bright pink, and she wore grunge shirts, and ripped stockings. Frannie wasn't having any of the same reactions as her mother seemed to be having. When Quinn took a cigarette out while in the house Frannie considered taking her to the hospital, scared she may lose all blood circulation to her brain. But instead she ushered her mother to her mom, commanding she would take care of it.

It didn't surprise her in the less of Quinn's new change. Frannie could now pinpoint the exact signs of Quinn. Her self-loathing, turning into isolation, and then finally she changes everything about her hoping it will fix her problem.

She supposed her mother was only acting this way because what Quinn was turning into was something every mother dreaded. But when Lucy turned into Quinn her mother was up in arms, embracing the new cheerleading daughter.

Frannie stepped into the living room just as Quinn began to light up her smoke. Striding across the room she snatched it from her lips extinguishing it in the empty water glass on the coffee table.

"Excuse you," Quinn grunted.

Frannie noted that Quinn was taller than the last time she saw her. She was full grown, a woman. "I don't care about how you change on the outside Quinn," She started "I'm not like mom and dad, I don't care if you shave off your hair, dye your head pink, get a tattoo. Because I know that's you, you like doing this."

Quinn looked up at first with fiery range, turning into a softer annoyance. "You're like them more then you know."

"What does that mean?" she crossed her arms,

Quinn stood from the sofa lifting her arms, "never mind, forget I said anything." She turned to walk away but was caught by Frannie's hand.

"No tell me,"

Quinn clicked her tongue, looking Frannie up and down, "to begin with you left for months touring with a guy, fulfilling _his_ dreams."

"He is not just some 'guy' he is my fiancé."

Quinn starred at her blankly for a moment, shaking her head, "you're right." She mumbled, Frannie was unconvinced Quinn was anywhere near giving in, but alas she began to walk away again.

"This is about Rachel isn't it," The older woman called out. Quinn froze, turning around to stare Frannie down coldly. "Or I mean, 'Finn'" she quoted.

"What do you mean 'Finn'" Quinn mirrored her hand gesture, stepping closer to her sister.

"I mean…" Frannie sighed, "Are you still upset over Rachel."

"It was always over Finn," Quinn sliced.

Frannie opened her mouth, willing the words to come out, wishing them to come out. She shrunk, looking to the floor. "Quinn…" she began, "when you were friends with Rachel, it was the happiest I have ever seen you. You were the happiest with her, and only her."

Quinn breathed heavily, her eyes searching Frannie's, trying to see she was hearing everything correctly. "Rachel and I haven't talked in half a year, it's over."

"Are they still dating?"

"That's not the point,"

"-are they still dating Quinn."

The rebellious girl looked down ashamed, her hair creating a protective curtain, "no."

"What the hell are you doing then?"

Quinn looked up with a snide huff, "it's not that easy."

"Why not?" she asked, "why can't you just make it that easy, why does it have to be so difficult?"

Quinn looked lost, trying to put words into action. But instead she turned around and fled to her room, more terrified then she had ever felt before. Terrified of her sister.

Frannie and Daniel moved into their new two story house in the fall. Frannie was in love with it, she decorated it with art she had collected from their trip. Cleaned it every afternoon, and cooked grand meals her mother sent recipes of. She loved every nook and cranny, every rug and sofa. She looked upon it in pleasure, and accomplishment.

Quinn hated it.

She hardly spent time in their new home, rather forcing her sister out to either restaurants or back to the old family home. Frannie was annoyed at first but kept it to herself, letting Quinn lead her on to different locations.

Quinn began wearing more cardigans as the months dragged on. She wore a headband once or twice, and even wore a colour other than the shade black. Frannie watched in accomplishment, as Quinn began to revert to her old ways. This time she didn't wear the fiery red cheerleading outfit, instead she wore lighter colours that suited her. Her hair though still glared pink.

By mid-December the turnaround happened.

Frannie was sitting at the table with her mother drinking a mug of tea when the door sounded. Quinn walked in, taking her shoes off and approaching her gaping mother and enquiring sister. Frannie took a sip of her drink smiling.

Quinn stood nervously in front of them, her short hair a delightful golden blonde. "Can Rachel come over later mom?" she asked feeling like an adolescent asking permission.

"o-of course."

Frannie watched in approval as Quinn slinked away. She was there later, as Rachel returned to the Fabray's entering their home attentively. She looked up to the older women smiling shyly. "Hello Frannie, Miss Fabray."

Frannie nodded, looking over to Quinn who was watching Rachel in joy. Her eyes sparkled tucking her short blonde behind her ear. "Come on," Quinn mumbled shyly, "I'll show what I did with my room."

Quinn led Rachel up the stairs, smiling back at her. Frannie ducked her head to watch them disappear, Quinn catching Rachel's hand in her own. She looked back at her mother who was washing a dish. She sighed placing it in the drying rack, turning around and crossing her arms.

"What is it mom?" she asked rubbing her mother's arm.

"You know I used to think that girl was a bad influence on her, that she caused all this." She motioned with her hands. "I now think though, Rachel is good, even with two gay dads."

"-mom," Frannie grumbled, "Being gay has nothing to do with it."

Judy scowled, throwing her towel over her shoulder, "Like I said Rachel is good, good for Quinn."

Frannie nodded, looking back to the stairs, "Yeah, she is."

Frannie married Daniel in February- a valentines wedding. It was beautiful, they held it at small chapel. All Daniel's family were there snapping countless amounts of photos. Her father came in about six months before, offering to pay for it saying "It's what a Fabray would do." He was there to walk his first daughter down the aisle. When Russel saw his daughter in white his eyes grew with wetness, telling how truly beautiful she was.

Daniel and Frannie left for Paris for two weeks, eating themselves stuffed, and dirking till they dropped. By the time Frannie came home, she recognised Quinn was jumpy, and giggling without embarrassment. She cocked her head at her one afternoon as she smiled foolishly down at her phone, tucking her knees into her chest on Frannie's sofa typing on her phone.

"Who is it?" the newly wed sister asked flipping the channel.

"Hm? no one."

"Obviously it's not no one, no one smiles that big without it being someone." Frannie corrected.

Blood rushed to Quinn's face trying to tuck away her phone as if it would make Frannie forget the subject. "Oh my god, Quinn tell me!" she poked, her face now infectiously getting bigger into a grin as Quinn grew in embarrassment.

"Drop in Fran," Quinn mumbled.

She fell silent, her lips falling into a straight poker line. "You're right, I'll drop it."

"-thank you,"

Frannie jumped from the side of the sofa launching for the phone, "Frannie!" she squealed holding her phone tightly.

"I'm your sister, now show me the corporate of your happiness."

She was fairly certain she knew who it was, but the curiosity as eating at her, she just had to know for sure. "You don't have the right,"

"Oh don't go all grandpa Fabray lawyer on me,"

Quinn grunted stuffing her phone down the backside of her sweatpants, "there you can't get them now."

Frannie lent back for a moment, "You better not think I won't be diving in there, I have seen you naked many times Quinine –granted you were young- this is a walk in the park."

"You wouldn't."

"But wouldn't I?"

Just as she lunged the front door opened, causing both girls to freeze. "What's going on?" Daniel asked, Frannie noticed his eyes looked shallower, his hair now noticeable reseeding.

Quinn pushed Frannie back with a grunt rolling her eyes, "nothing."

Daniel set down his wallet nodding to Quinn, "you need a ride home?"

"No I brought my car, anyways I have other plans."

Frannie shot her a look, "with mysterious phone person?"

"It's none of your business,"

"-mysterious phone person?" Daniel asked,

"So it is with mysterious phone person," Frannie concluded.

Quinn stood up, brushing her hands down her shirt brushing off the crumbs. "It may or may not be with mysterious phone person."

"Maybe I should just trail you, take this case into my own hands." Frannie began to stand up

"Maybe I should call the cops on you," she grunted, pushing Frannie back onto the sofa.

"Bye Daniel," Quinn waved by the door, "bye Fran,"

"See you Quinn," Daniel waved.

"I will find out, mark my word. A sister can only hide for so long, I'm like Nancy Drew!"

Quinn's eyes flashed with fear, but quickly rolled them, shutting the front door. Frannie glared at the door, looking up at her husband who was sorting through mail, "you think I'm Nancy Drew right?"

"Sure you are babe," he mumbled, walking into the kitchen, to fetch himself a glass of scotch.

During Quinn's spring break Frannie stopped by the old home, picking up their mail and walking in. Opening the door with her key she looked around at the empty home. "Mom, Quinn?" she shouted, nothing but silence meeting her. She tried again, but once again an echo of stillness.

She tossed the mail onto the table starting up the stairs, when she heard a crash and curse. "Quinn?" she called.

She started running up the stairs in panic, thinking something was wrong. There was a splintering of an open door Quinn running to the stairwell, "hey Fran what's up Fran?" she said out of breath.

Frannie knitted her eyebrows together looking her sister up and down. Quinn's face was completely flushed, her hair somewhat smoothed down, but parts poked up here and there looking disheveled. Quinn rolled her shoulder, bringing her sweater fully back on, her lips were swollen and eyes were slightly murky.

Frannie's stomach dropped as realization hit her, oh god she just caught her sister masturbating. Oh no, no, no.

"Uh- nothing much, I…" she choked, as she tried to forget about anything she had thought. "Sorry I didn't mean to… interrupt."

She began down the stairs when a second loud thump sounded from her bedroom. Frannie froze, slowly turning on her toes to look back up at a guilty looking Quinn as she studied her sister then back a her bedroom door.

"Lucy Quinn Fabray," she gasped. "Is there someone else in there?"

"No," Quinn snapped, "-yes," she stuttered, "maybe."

"Home alone!"

Quinn looked to her feet, ashamed. She prepared herself for the long lecture of safe sex, and how abstinence is the way to go. Frannie pursed her lips, looking around Quinn, "who is it?"

Quinn's eyes snapped up surprised, "what!"

"Is it mysterious phone person?" Frannie asked, taking a step up closer to Quinn.

"What, no go away." She said, moving to block Frannie from getting past her.

"It is, isn't it?" Frannie grinned, "So sloppy, I didn't even need to take my Nancy Drew skills out, well bring them out the older sibling wishes to see them."

"It's not a person!"

Frannie paused looking at Quinn, "uh, what?"

"It's Brittany's stupid cat I'm babysitting it."

"_Bull_, I have seen Tubbs and he is not big enough to make that kind of noise."

"_Shit_!" a muffled voice came out before another crash, Quinn snapped her neck back.

Frannie snorted, "And prior to Brittany's belief he most defiantly cannot talk."

"Frannie, I can explain." Quinn raised her hands defensively, "It's not, and I'm not."

The older Fabray, silently watched Quinn unravel in front of her. Her secrets slowly creeping to the surface of her skin. "Look I just want to see who is making my sister so happy, no judgment."

Quinn's eyes desperately looked at Frannie, twitching fingers by her side. Without a word Quinn turned around heading back to her room. Frannie walked down the stairs entering the kitchen, and filling a cup with a glass of water. She waited for five minutes before the sound of descending feet alerted her to the stair.

"Rachel," she smiled the brunette coming into view beside Quinn, "how are you?"

_She knew it she knew she knew it! _

Was it completely inappropriate if she burst out in a dance right now? Would her sister understand, or was that looked down on?

Quinn slightly quirked her eyebrow for a moment, unable to grasp the casual tone of her sister. Rachel nervously cleared her throat, "hi Frannie, I-I'm good, yourself?"

"Swell," Frannie smiled, taking a sip of her water.

"You're happy?" Quinn grunted,

"Only if you are," something passed by Quinn's eyes looking at her sister in a new light. Frannie kept the kind smile on, keeping eye contact with her.

Quinn stepped forward up to Frannie, nose to nose. She threw her arms around her sister bringing her in tight. Frannie let out a grunt of surprise placing her glass down on the counter behind her. She returned the hug, kissing Quinn's temple, "I will always love you."

Quinn nodded into the side of Frannie's shoulder, pulling back, "thank you,"

"No need for thanks," she whispered. "What are sisters for?"

Quinn quirked a grin stepping back to Rachel, "Don't tell mom though,"

Frannie nodded, "Yeah alright, but she will find out sometime."

"I know, just not right now,"

The blonde nodded, smiling at the young girls, she crossed her arms jutting her chin out at them, "so how long has this," she pointed in between both of them " been going on?"

"Uh…" Quinn looked to Rachel with embarrassing support, still not entirely comfortable. Rachel seemed to step up to the plate quickly though.

"We officially have been together since around the end of December."

"Officially, well what about before?"

Rachel, glanced at Quinn, pulling her lip into her mouth, "we have been floating around ever since summer of sophomore?" She looked to Quinn for confirmation.

Quinn tilted her head, "summer?"

"Santana's party," Rachel explained

"Oh yeah," she nodded.

Frannie looked back and forth between them as they exchanged a silent conversation, "no wait, what happened at said party? You can't leave me out of the loop for so long and then not tell me! I have told you about every relationship I have had, in all its gory details."

"You have been in two relationships!" Quinn whined,

"Well let's not get hung up on those minor details," Frannie waved off, "now tell me the details!"

"What details?" Rachel asked

"Your details," Frannie motioned to her, "Quinn's details," she placed both of her hands together in front of her, "both of your details together."

"Oh, well-"

"But not the sexual details,"

"Fran!"

"Just saying, I already got an eyeful today, I don't need to know about my sister sex life just as much as you don't need to know about mine,"

"Wait you have sex, I thought Daniel was like a germaphobe or something," Quinn smirked.

"Ha, ha very funny," Frannie rolled her eyes, "and rude, you know he just doesn't like things dirty."

"Which you are,"

"Moving on!" Frannie clapped, "so tell me about Santana's party," she gushed jumping up onto the counter.

"We had our first kiss, we were-"

"You were dancing, too close, it always happens that way." Frannie interrupted,

"No, actually,"

"Never have I ever!" Frannie shouted, "You said you hadn't kissed girl and then it made you interested in each other, I'm right, right?"

"No…" Rachel sighed, "Will you let me finish?"

"Sorry, I'm just so excited," she bounced on the counter

"How old are you?" Quinn asked in dumb shock.

"Quinn and I were playing spin the bottle,"

"-spin the bottle!" Frannie groaned, "I take it back spin the bottle is literally the way it_ always_ happens. Do they even play spin the bottle in normal teenage parties? Because I am pretty sure they don't."

"We didn't kiss during spin the bottle,"

"Of course you didn't see that would be _too_ predictable, let me guess one of you kissed someone else and jealousy took over next thing you know you're in the bathroom making out."

"No!" Rachel snapped, "Let me explain."

"Should I get the tape, to shut her up?" Quinn asked. Frannie glared at her younger sister.

"That won't be necessary," Rachel sighed. "Like I was saying- we were playing spin the bottle. But I felt uncomfortable, and Quinn was annoyed having to see Finn kiss one of the other Cheerio's so we went out to Santana's back yard. We were by her pool when…Quinn pushed me in."

Frannie gasped "Quinn!"

"What, I was drun-" her eyes popped open looking to her sister, "er, I was just being… childish."

Frannie rolled her eyes, motioning to Rachel to continue. "I asked for help up after Quinn had finished laughing her ass off and when she grabbed my hands I pulled her in." Rachel smirked, poking Quinn in the side, "Quinn was spluttering and swearing trying to get to the edge, I pushed her under for a while but she must have turned around under water because when she resurfaced she was right in front of me up against the side of the pool." Rachel placed her hand in front of her face, showing just how close they were.

"And then she kissed me."

"Excuse you?" Quinn asked

Rachel looked at her, tilting her head, "what?"

"You kissed me!"

"I most certainly did not," Rachel gasped.

"You most certainly did."

"You were in no shape that night to tell me you didn't kiss me, you can't even remember half of the night!"

"-Because I hit my head," Quinn spluttered to Frannie.

"I don't care you got drunk Quinn, it's in the past, I saw you smoke for god's sake."

"You are thinking of July fourth, I kissed you then."

Quinn's eyes focused on something in distance, "oh yeah." She looked back to Rachel, goofily smiling, "That was a good independence day."

"I'm sure it wasn't what our founding fathers thought would happen," Frannie laughed. "Well that will be sufficient now. I wouldn't want Quinn's face to turn permanently red in embarrassment."

Quinn narrowed her eyes at the blonde, "yeah whatever."

"Story to be continued..." Frannie smirked.

Frannie kept Quinn's secret, not even telling Daniel. It wasn't hard to keep it from him of course, seeing as he was gone four days out of the week at an out of state office building. Leaving Frannie alone in their home, most days she would go over to her old home, laugh with Rachel and Quinn. Greet Santana and Brittany- and unsuccessfully forget about that afternoon. She would help her mother cook dinner and skype her father in her spare time.

She watched her sisters walk across the stage with their red caps on, smiles cheek to cheek. Rachel spoke in front of the audience. Frannie held tears back as Rachel stood on stage so confidently, so elegantly. After the teachers spoke to the graduating class they threw their caps into the air.

Frannie watched with happiness but a small voice inside her head bickered at her. A dark figure kept reappearing in her memory, happiness, sadness… Frannie shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts as she took Quinn into her arms after the ceremony hugging her the tightest, telling her over and over how happy she was for her.

Their mother and father approached tentatively, congratulating Quinn, and giving her soft hugs. Quinn luckily had her father there to see her graduate, a luxury Frannie did not have before. Frannie had convinced Daniel to have a graduation party at their home, seeing as he wasn't going to be there he had no problem with it.

Almost everyone from the senior class was there in their best dress. Brittany and Santana were close the entire night, hugging each other closely casually kissing each other in joy. Rachel and Quinn stood by each other, but did nothing more than smile and hug each other sometimes. Frannie walked around, picking cups up and serving different food to people.

She huffed, taking the extra coats from newly arriving guest upstairs. She stopped when two voices sounded from around the corner. She poked her head around spotting Rachel and Quinn hands held.

"I'm so happy," Rachel smiled up to Quinn.

"You make me happy," Quinn pushed away Rachel's hair, kissing her lightly. Frannie knew she should turn around, this was their moment not hers, but she found herself pressing tighter to the wall so they would not see her.

"Rachel I-" Quinn stuttered, looking back up "I love you,"

There was a second pause before Rachel pulled Quinn down for a longer lingering kiss, when she pulled away she was smiling, "I know, I love you too."

Frannie mentally fist pumped for her sister.

It was another month before their mother had found out, by her walking buddy, who had heard about it through Noah's mother, who was informed by Finns mom that Arties dad had seen them kissing at the park. Quinn had showed up at Frannie's door, a backpack in hand. She stayed there for three days crying into Frannie before her mother came around. She brought Quinn in tightly, whispering words that Frannie couldn't make out. Quinn was living at home again, although tension was spiked a bit.

Quinn was off to New Haven, Rachel heading to New York with Brittany and Santana. And Frannie was home; watching as four girls four years younger than herself outgrew her. Was she really older than them? They were all headed to University's and not ordinary ones but Yale, NYADA, Julliard, and NYU.

Frannie hugged them at the train station, holding back tears successfully for a total five minutes. To her defense the girls were in no better shape than herself. People looked at them with slightly amused eyes as the four younger girls and mothers cried hugging each other.

Frannie held Rachel, hugging her tightly, "look after her." She whispered to Rachel.

The brunette nodded, smiling to Frannie, "I always will."

And just like that, Frannie was dethroned from her protector position.

Rachel walked into the train hand in hand with Quinn. At the door, Quinn turned around waving at her sister. Frannie gulped waving back watching as her sister went out to live a life better than her mothers, or herself.

The train rolled away, leaving Frannie behind.

Months later Frannie walked in on Daniel and his assistant in their bed. It really didn't matter what he said in the end, she left him that night, taking her things along with her. Which she found out wasn't much. She could fit her whole life in two large suitcases.

She was living with her mother again, alone in February and signing divorce papers as a one year anniversary gift.

She visited New York in the spring, seeing the four girls again. It felt like forever since they had been in Lima for Christmas, but here they were. Quinn had come up to see her sister, all four hitting the town going to touristy places.

One afternoon Frannie ventured out by herself- Quinn suggesting to walk to a fountain in the park that was particularly beautiful. She walked along the streets, beside hundreds of different people. A city of millions, and she was just one small dot. She stopped by a park, looking up at fountain as it streamed water over its surface. A light breeze tossed her hair up.

No one prepared you for the moment when you were in your twenties and had no idea who you were. What was she supposed to do now? Go to school, continue her secretary job? Would she meet someone again in Lima? For once in her life she felt utterly uncontrolled in her life. She had fallen flat on her face and didn't know how to pick herself up again.

"Frannie?"

The blonde turned around, coming eye to eye with the missed "Cyrus."

He had changed, he looked older now. His face rough with stubble, and black box glasses now framed his deep brown eyes. He had a blank white button up on, and black pants, looking to be coming from work of a date.

Oh god let it be work.

He offered to walk around the park, which she quickly agreed to a little too breathless to even comprehend anything else. They talked in the park, walking around once, catching up in life. He had been engaged but was left at the altar. He hushed it away, saying it was a long time ago. She told him briefly about what had happened, skipping over the ugly and highlighting the good. She glazed over Daniel, not really able to stomach it.

She talked about Quinn, Rachel, Santana, and Brittany. Her face brightened with each girl's name.

At the end of the circuit they stopped. Cyrus dug his hands into his pocket, smiling shyly at his ex-girlfriend from high school years ago.

"It's getting late," she muttered looking to the sky.

"Yeah…" he nodded.

"I better go, Quinn will be wondering where I am."

"Yeah…"

"It was nice catching up Cyrus,"

"Yeah…"

She began to walk away, her chest slightly thumping louder, her stomach dropping. She had only taken two steps when he snapped, "Hey Frannie,"

"Yes," she jumped, looking back with hopeful eyes.

"Would you like to, maybe get some coffee sometime?" he asked nervously.

"Yes," She rushed.

Just like that, as she took his hand letting him lead the way she found her hope. Sure she didn't have everything figured out, she still didn't know where to live, or if she should be going to school. But laughing with Cyrus as they ran across the road to a small café made Frannie smile ear to ear and in that moment, that's all that mattered. She has fallen onto the ground, but Cyrus was there to pick her right back up.

Years later Frannie sat outside surrounded by people, note cards clutched in her hand nervously. They had flown from London to be here. Frannie's and Cyrus's life had become hectic. Frannie had discovered imploring her Nancy Drew investigating skills made great as a journalist. She was currently one of the best in her field, she was able to go anywhere and get the real story. But here she felt like a fourth grader ready to go up for her first speech. Cyrus's arm wrapped around her shoulders, "what's wrong?" he asked leaning in to her.

"I'm nervous," she hushed back.

"I can see that, Mrs. Nancy Drew." He laughed, "But why, you rehearsed this in front of me about fifty times."

"Yes well you aren't a crowd of a hundred and my sisters are you?"

He hummed, kissing her cheek lovingly, "you will do amazing- you always do."

"Show time," Frannie muttered standing up and walking up to the small stage. She held her wine glass in one hand tapping on it as she reached the microphone. The sun was just setting, the fairy lights that were strung everywhere lighting up.

She looked down to the table where her sister sat, gleaming up at her. She had been beaming the entire day, even if one of Rachel's dads had to give her away and not her own father. She was so beautiful though.

"Hey everyone," she started, people hushing each other, "I'm sure I know most of you, but I'm Frannie, I'm Quinn's older sister."

Quinn smiled, blowing a kiss at her sister. Rachel took Quinn's hand in her own, listening to her sister-in-law.

"I have known Quinn her whole life," a few people chuckled, "Obviously, she is my sister." Could she slap herself on stage?

Her eyes flickered to Cyrus, he was smiling encouraging, his eyes ushering her on. Taking a deep breath Frannie began again.

"When I was younger, the first time I saw my sister I knew I had to protect her at any cost. Only four and apparently I already knew how cruel the world would be." She paused, "I watched my sister grow, and I watched her go through some of her phases- some more annoying than others… Yeah remember that phase you were determined to be a poet and tried to rhyme everything you said? I still have your poem entitled 'A Dark Summer's Day' It's a great, you guys should read it." People in the crowd laughed, Quinn placing her palm over her face in embarrassment.

"Being your protector wasn't always easy. I had distractions, and sometimes was so self-consumed that I wasn't able to see you. But I tried to be there for you, the way an older sister is supposed to be there. And honestly I have to say I am so glad I am standing here talking to you two and not you and Finn." Rachel and Quinn began to laugh, "Finn for you who don't know, was Quinine's first boyfriend- and only boyfriend, and also Rachel's boyfriend."

"Yes, both Quinn and Rachel had the same boyfriend, at different times! It wasn't some co-ed relationship. In fact I believe they fought over him at one point… poor boy, little did he know a lesbian war was raging behind his back." Quinn snorted, looking at Rachel. Frannie felt her confidence raise, and her comfort settling down. "I have loved all Quinn's friends as if they were my own sisters, and the amount of time they all spent at my house they might as well be. Quinn knows how to pick them, and she sure as hell knows how to pick someone as amazing as Rachel. At first I have to say Rachel I was a little weary."

Rachel gasped, "yes, I just couldn't understand how such a small girl could make so much noise, all I could remember thinking was 'oh god who has Quinn brought home now'?" Frannie smiled, "It has always been you two though, even when you fought in the hallways of high school. And I have to say even as cliché as it was, your first kiss was romantically amazing. Spin the bottle folks, all of this," Frannie motioned around her "has to thank spin the bottle, spin the bottle can you believe it?"

"-actually I take that back Spin the bottle should not be thanked, I should. I was the match maker. I snapped Quinn out of her stupid passive aggressive stage and got these two love birds back together, so Rachel, Quinn… you're welcome."

"There is a point to this ramble. I got side tracked few times there." Frannie shook her head as people laughed, "I was Quinn's protector from the moment I saw her. I made sure she was looked after, had a buddy to play with, a friend to talk to. I tried to hide her away from dangers and to just love her."

"And although I still am and do all those things, I am here to say that the position of protector is no longer mine, it was snatched from me from Rachel the same moment she snatched my little sisters heart. And I am not sad about that anymore, because I was there to be the protector when you needed me, because well, what are sisters for?"

The end


End file.
